The first things that come to mind when I hear the word “Amish” are Pennsylvania Dutch farmers markets and wood furniture. However, after driving past numerous horse-drawn carriages and farms en route to Tanglewood Manor Golf Club, I will forever associate excellent course conditions and a great golf experience with the Amish.
Tucked away in the heart of Amish Country in South Central, PA is Tanglewood Manor Golf Club. It’s just a little more than an hour ride heading north from Baltimore and even closer to the southern parts of Delaware & New Jersey. Last winter I was driving through Lancaster County and had stopped by to check out the course; one look from the road at the beautiful green fairways was all the motivation I needed to make plans to revisit, and I sure am glad that I did!
For better or for worse, Tanglewood’s practice facility is located a short distance from the clubhouse and course. Personally I appreciate this type of layout, especially when you consider that the facilities have capacity to accommodate 50 golfers on the tees and 30 golfers in the grass chipping & putting areas. It’s also important to note that the range is appropriately covered and open 7 days a week, so it’s open even for the dedicated golfers who don’t mind practicing in the rain.
Tanglewood Manor is not an extremely long course, playing 6,400+ yards from the tips. However, it makes up for the shorter distance with pristine conditions, an extremely friendly staff with an “aim to please” approach, and an excellent pace of play clocking 4 hours and 15 minutes. On this particular Saturday, my group was able to finish in just over 4 hours, which included a 10 minute lunch break at the Gallery Grille.
The best word to describe this course is “consistent”. From tee to green through all 18 holes, it was rare to find an issue with anything condition-related. Designed by George Fazio, the course awards players for staying on the fairway, but is nice not to punish players too badly for being erratic off the tee. In fact, I was able to play with the same ball the entire round, and trust me, the fairway and I were not friends on this particular day!
Two holes that I really enjoyed playing were the Par 3 13th and the Par 5 17th.
Hole #13, Par 3
Number 13 is an elevated green that is 220 yards from the tips, but plays more like 235 with the wind and an uphill climb factored in. From a purely visual perspective, this hole is fantastic with a rock-face anchoring the back of the hole. Golfers benefit from a large putting surface, but need to be wary of the minor undulations which will influence the path of your putts.
Hole #17, Par 4
Number 17 is Tanglewood’s signature hole. From the tips you are 386 yards to the green, but the hole plays a little shorter as the tee boxes are elevated a good 40+ feet above the very narrow fairway. Starting from the far left is a large stream that gets smaller as it stretches the length of the fairway. A solid 3-wood or Driver will keep you clear of it, but going too far brings the forestation in the deep right-center into play. After wandering down the steep slope to get ready for your approach shot, you stare at a deceptively large green. Be careful not to put too much distance on your approach as balls will run off the back portion of the green, turning your hopeful birdie opportunity into a tough par save.
Overall, my round at Tanglewood Manor was one of the best golfing experiences of the 2009 season. The course is consistently in excellent condition and provides an outstanding value for any public golfer.
Friday, 2:07 PM, 83 degrees and sunny. I sat there staring at my computer screen finding myself unable to concentrate. The sound of pings from tee shots & putts hitting the cup are running through my head. I spend the next couple minutes attempting to focus on the end-of-the-week work, but quickly realize that the only focus I’m going to have for the rest of the day will be during the 90+ strokes I’m about to take on the course (hey, we all need to start our march towards the pro tour somewhere, and for now, I’m just trying to score in the double-digits on a regular basis).
Being based in Baltimore, there are a plethora of quality public courses within a half-hour drive time. I grew up in Baltimore County and regularly played those county courses in my early years (when I actually broke 90 regularly). However, this would be my 1st visit to The Woodlands in quite some time, and I was excited with the expectations of playing one of the area’s most challenging and well-maintained courses.
I arrived to the course and had no problem jumping onto a tee time; judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, I figured it would be a little bit of a wait, but the staff was extremely welcoming and accommodating. I had enough time to eat (outstanding hot dog at a very reasonable price) and check out the practice facilities, which completely blew me away!
I always knew that The Woodlands/Diamond Ridge had a great driving range able to accommodate large number of golfers. However, what I did not know was that in the past couple of years they have added a 2nd putting green (13,000 square feet) and also expanded the original putting green from 6,000 to 11,000 square feet. Plus, they converted an original putting green (located closest to the driving range) into a chipping-only area so players can work on their sand shots and short game. The facilities are fantastic and I even spoke with a couple guys who said that they occasionally play the courses, but regularly show up just to practice!
I was enjoying the practice facilities so much that I nearly lost track of time, but made it over to the first tee with a couple minutes to spare. The starter gave an excellent summary of the course and made sure to highlight the tight, tree-line fairways and tough, undulating greens that lay ahead of us. It took a couple minutes for the group ahead of us to clear the fairway, and the starter filled the “dead” time with additional information about the course — The Woodlands historically had the reputation of being “wet”, a result of clay soil and bent grass causing the course to stay saturated with moisture for multiple days after lots of rain. However, large investments in recent years into irrigation and drainage have helped expedite the recovery process, and the course regularly can allow carts to “scatter” the day after a storm.
It was gratifying to know that Baltimore County and the course staff were taking such grand measures to preserve the condition of the course and to ensure the experience of the golfers who play it. The starter’s sense of pride was apparent and it only added to my excitement as I stepped up to the first tee.
It doesn’t take long for your excitement to turn to focus and frustration at The Woodlands. From the get go, you are introduced to demanding uphill & downhill lies from the fairway, not to mentioned that landing on the green in regulation does not nearly guarantee a Par as a 3-putt is very easy to achieve on just about any hole.
Hole #2, Par 3
The Par 3, 2nd Hole is a perfect example of this. Playing downhill, 195 yards from the tips, going left, right or long puts you in the rough on a steep slope, and the multi-tiered is an animal all unto itself. On this day, the Pin was located on the front-right portion of the green just below a ridge; I was lying 2 putting from the top-left and knew that it was going to be like ice. A gentle stroke still put me 8+ feet below the cup, but a very lucky Putt helped me salvage a bogey.
There are lots of other holes that will leave a lasting impression with you, like the 6th, a tree-lined dogleg right Par 5 that begs for you to go for the green in two, and the 10th, a long Par 4 that rewards golfers for cutting over the water hazard to the fairway (of course you must crank it at least 250 yards in the air to clear it).
Hole #17, Par 5
Perhaps the most memorable hole is the 17th, a dogleg left Par 5 that is about as intimidating as they come. It’s not the longest Par 5 around, but a good tee shot is a must. From the tee you must clear a large ravine to reach the fairway and bunkers on the left side await those golfers who think that they’ll be able to shorten the hole. From the fairway, you’ll undoubtedly be faced with a downhill lie, so plans to reach the green in 2 are often dismissed. Then, of course, you have to take battle with the green, and although you’ve dealt with undulations through the first 16 holes, nothing will prepare you well enough for this one. Five well-struck, well-placed shots are required to walk away with a Par here.
My round at The Woodlands clocked in at just under 4:40; not bad for a 4-some, especially when you factor in the amount of putts that each person in the group took. Overall it was one of my favorite experiences so far this golf season, and my only frustration is that I did not play the course sooner! The course is in excellent condition and the staff has the ideal customer service mentality to make it a round to remember. I can’t wait to back again soon!
Summer may only have officially arrived earlier this week, but the city-folk have been heading east towards the beach since the first taste of warm weather. For this writer, this meant a nice long weekend in Ocean City, MD in the beginning of June. It was a great opportunity to visit one of the top courses in the country, the Links at Lighthouse Sound.
The conditions of this course always exceed expectations, and highlights of some of the premier holes and unique characteristics of the design will follow. But part of the incredible experience that Lighthouse provides its players is the excitement elicited even before reaching the clubhouse. Driving from Ocean City, you travel along Route 90 over the Asawoman Bay Bridge. With a watchful eye, you are provided a view of some of the holes from the Front 9 of Lighthouse, immediately triggering memories of off-shore breezes and sounds from the bay affecting the trajectory of your golf shots. Your smile only widens as you make the turn onto St. Martins Neck road and approach the course.
The staff and facilities are everything expected of a 5-star golf course. My early tee time made us the first group out in the morning, and even though the sun had not yet fully risen, we were greeted at the bag drop by a full staff of attendants. The Lighthouse Pro Shop has just about everything and anything a golfer may (or may not) need for their round (NOTE – during the late-spring/early-summer season, they sell bug spray for a reason, so make sure to take notice). The Head Golf Pro was there to check us in, welcome us to the course and provide some updates & advice on how the course was playing. The genuine and passionate nature of the conversation only reinforces that you are in for an incredible golf experience, and you feel like you are walking on air as you head towards the driving range.
With the exception of not having tees at the range (mainly my mistake since I didn’t have any in my pocket), the driving range is in perfect condition. Lush, grass tee boxes and a wide-open layout enable you to work on every shot with every club. One of the best features is that the range is less than a Lob Wedge away from the Starter, meaning that you are left alone to practice until they are ready to send you to Hole #1. When your time is finally called, your cart is sitting there waiting for you and the Starter makes sure educate you even more about the course. With a final order of “good luck and have fun,” you’re on your way to some of the best 18 holes of golf you’ll ever play.
The first 8 holes are positioned on the Bayside and have a Links-style design. Wind is always a factor because you’re so close to the shore; even though you may not feel it on your face, the ball will be affected. Just about every single hole presents a challenge, whether it be hazards off the tee, sloped greens or bunkers scattered all over the place. I mean, I think I spent more time in the sand during the round than the previous day at the Beach!
Hole #5, Par 3
Hole #5 is a Par 3 that will be burned into your memory. From the Tees we played (definitely not the Tips!) it seems like an average 168-yard, 6-iron for me. Of course, this hole is positioned on the Bay; the water doesn’t come into play, but the swirling winds certainly do. I tested the “breeze” and decided to aim towards the left edge of the green with my 6-iron. Miraculously, the shot went exactly where I wanted it to . . . that is, until the wind took hold. The ball ended up moving about 40 yards from left to right and fell 15 yards short of the green. I stood there in awe, and all the rest of the guys in my group could say was, “thanks for going first.”
The 6th is fun because the Bay is in play along the entire right side of the hole. It’s not the most challenging Par 4 on the course, and it seems like the Arthur Hills decided to give everyone a slight break before having to face the long, dogleg-right, Par 5 at #7.
Hole #7, Par 5
This hole provides just about every single challenge a course can offer — not only do you have to clear a 150+ yard hazard off the tee, but wind is still a major factor that could pull your ball out-of-bounds to the right. You are in good shape on the fairway, that is, until you try to rip your 2nd shot and it lands in the ravine positioned about 100 yards from the green. Bunkers are scattered 360 degrees around the elevated green, and just like with the other 17 holes at Lighthouse, a 2-Putt is a win. What a hole!
From Front 8 to Back 10, you feel like you’re playing an entirely different course. Part of that is because you travel over the longest golf-cart bridge in the world (well, at least it feels like that), but Lighthouse #’s 9-18 are less open, Links-style and more tight, tree-lined. Basically it’s the same impeccable conditions with a completely different set of challenges.
The 10th is memorable because it’s a short Par 4 that just begs for you to go for the green off the Tee. Now I don’t know who was whispering in my ear that I would be able to drive the ball 270+ yards, but something told me that it would be the right way to start off the Back 9. Fortunately, my aggressive swing resulted in a mild slice, and my ball landed in the rough about 50 yards from the green. Had it gone straight, there’s no doubt that I would have been facing a steep climb out of a trap.
Hole #18, Par 5
There are lots of individual shots that make you realize how fortunate you are to be playing such a wonderful course, like the creative approach required on the Par 5, #12, the long shot from the fairway on the Par 4, #14 to get to the green in regulation, and the blind tee shot on the Par 4, #17. To end it, Lighthouse concedes a short Par 5 at the 18th, and a strong tee shot rewards you with an opportunity to go for the green in two. With the clubhouse visible to your right and the Bay & Ocean City in the background, you take aim at the elevated green, but golfer-be-ware, landing short presents a tough pitch up the slope and there’s not too much room on the back side.
It was an awesome round of 18, clocked in at less than 4 hours, and there was cold beer waiting for me in the clubhouse. All-in-all, the Links at Lighthouse Sound is one of the most enjoyable courses that I have ever played. Make sure to check it out the next time you head down to the ocean; it will not disappoint.
